The Invid
The story of Earth's involvement in the intergalactic wars over protoculture begins hundreds of years earlier on a world in a distant galaxy. This was the homeworld of the lnvid. To understand the lnvid, one must understand protoculture; The lnvid Flower of Life. The so called "Flower of Life" is a mysterious flowering plant indigenous exclusively to the lnvid's homeworld. It possesses several properties truly unique to any plant in the universe. One of those properties is the generation of incredible amounts of bio-energy. As the Robotech Master Zor would discover, a property germintated seed placed under constant pressure generates more energy than a nuclear power plant. "Clean," natural, non-poluting energy. This process inhibits the plant's growth, which in turn causes it to gennerate even more energy. Locked in stasis, the seed will continue to produce energy for decades. A single seed can power a modern city of millions, for generations. But there's more. The use of this energy with machines creates a paranormal link between man and machine. It is as if the bienergy instills some essence of life into the machine. A quasi-life that requires a living, intelligent life-form to direct it. The psionic union between man and machine makes the mechanical device act more like an extension of the operator instead of a mere tool. It is this unique phenomenon that makes the Veritech Fighters, Alphas and other mecha (human and alien) so incredibly agile. The giant machines react with almost human reflexes because they are effectively mechanical extentions of their pilots. Thus, the machines respond to the person's slightest movement. Yet perhaps the most unusual aspect of the Invid Flower of Life is the psychic abilities it imparts to those who consume it. Consumption by humans createS uncontrollable hallucinations and ocassional precognitive visions accompanied by headaches and nausea. (Note: A half ounce of pollen or a quarter ounce of seed,less than 14 grams, will induce hallucinations in humans, with a 1-38% chance of an insightful or precognitive vision. During the hallucination the character is completely oblivious to the world around him and can not talk, walk, attack or defend him/herself. The stupor lasts 6d6 minuteS. The side effectS are a painful headache and nausea that last 1d6 hours, with penlaties of -2 to initiative, -1 to strike, parry and dodge. There is also a chance the character will poison him/herself; roll to save vs poison each time the Flower of Life is consumed. A failed roll means 5D6 damage directly to hit points. Continued, regular use will cause insanity; 1-60% chance each time after eighth try. Roll on random insanity table once, phobia table once, and obsession table once. This cbaracler will be addicted to the flower.) The lnvid, however, can consume the Flower of Life without ill effect. Centuries of use by the Invid had created a strange, passive race of creatures living in harmony with their planet. They bad no belching factories, no houses or industry per se. Instead, they lived as one race, one people, who were one with their planet. It is difficult to say if the Flower of Life molded the lnvid into what they were/are. But it is certain that the psychic powers it imparted shaped the Invid society. The Invid had long ago mastered the vast powers of the Flower of Life. With it, the lnvid grew and changed. Like bees, the Invid's lives centered around the harvesting of the flowers. Never destroying, like humans who chop down forests or strip the earth of its minerals, but cultivating and sharing the wondrous plant. A symbiotic relationship that allowed both plant and Invid to prosper. From the use of the flower, one central intelligence, one mind, came into existence. Like Earth bees or termites, the countless individual lnvid were directed by one controlling intelligence, the queen bee. It was this one controlling intelligence that was telepathically and empathically linked to all her children. Her thoughts, feelings and visions could he instantly transmined to all thelnvid of the world. It was this one intelligence that controlled the myriad powers of the Flower of Life. Indeed, the other Invid were almost extensions of herself. So connected with her people that she feels each one's death, even hundreds of thousands of miles away. Each lnvid death is painful. Each death syphons a little of her energy away. Although no machines or civilization was immediately apparent, the lnvid intelligence had developed a bizarre psychic bioscience that can only be equated t0 Earth's mythical alchemy. The intelligence could draw on the life-building energy to transmute (the power to transform one element into another) her surroundings and even alter people. It was this power that she used to create the "hives" to shelter her minions. It was this same transmutation ability that enabled her to change her own physical body and those of the invid. An instrumental "evolutionary" process as she saw it. In a similar way, the intelligence could create more of her people, almost at will, like a giant, alchemical, bio-engineering factory. The Roboteeh Masters would later unravel the secrets of this process to create the giant warrior-clones, Zentraedi, and give themselves near immortality (or so they thought) through accelerated cloning. For eons the Invid lived in peaceful harmony. Their way of life simple, almost mindless. Then, on one fateful day, a race of beings known as the Robotecb Masters came to the Invid world. The Robotech Masters were a race of humanoids (they look just like humans and may be distant ancestors) who were infamous for their super-science. Unfortunately, the Robotech Masters used their great science to bully and enslave other worlds. They did this by offering their aid to less advanced civilizations and making them dependent upon their "secrets" of technology. Once dependent upon them, the Robotech Masters would extract payment in the form of allegiance, materials, minerals, production, and so on. Those who dared to refuse or reject them were beaten into submission or destroyed. In a way, the Robotech Masters were malicious mega-merchants who created an intergalactic monopoly and, therefore, an empire, crushing anyone who got in their way. The discovery of the lnvid homeworld was a disappointment, because its people appeared to be an indifferent race of simpletons. However, never to be ones not to explore and exploit all possibilities, the Masters left a team of scientists to see if this world was of any value to them. The scientific team was led by a brilliant and uncharacteristiccally compassionate Robotech scientist named Zor. In the months that followed, Zor discovered the unusual link between the sluglike humanoids and the Flower of Life. He would befriend the Invid ruling intelligence and share her many secrets. Blinded by naivety and by the excitement of the wondrous plant, Zor developed a way in which the Robotech Masters could harness its energies . A shockingly simple process (to him) to create what he called "organic fusion." Zor also pioneered the mechanics of the Robotech Masters' bio-engineering through "protoculture," the refined and harnessed bio-energy of the lnvid Flower of Life. The young scientist revelled in the euphoria of his discoveries. He thought to himself that he was about'to bring a new age of greatness to the Robotecb Masters and the universe. Zor's excitement was empathically transmitted to the lnvid intellignce and she to felt his joy. Unknown to Zor, the lnvid intelllgence bad discovered new feeling. new thoughts, and new visions through him. Feelings she had never known (one. might call love). She soared along with his intense love of life, excitement and happiness. Zor's superiors were equally ecstatic about his discoveries. Indeed, a new age had dawned. With this new power they could increase their empire a hundredfold. They could rule a thousand worlds and bring the universe to its knees. As Zor's masters hatched their evil schemes, he continued his research, discovering more and more. When the Robotecb Masters finally returned to the Invid homeworld they were greeted as friends, perhaps as demigods. Zor proudly gave lectures on his many theories and unveiled his second greatest invention, a new, super dimensional spacecraft prototype powered solely by protoculrure (the SDF). The spectacular vessel held many of his new discoveries and theories. The masters marveled over the prototype spacecraft. Without a doubt, young Zor was the most brilliant mind of their race. Amid the accOlades, the Robotech Masters instructed Zor to gather up a vast supply of seeds for immediate use. As he did this, the Invid intelligence told him that others of his world were also collecting the life-giving seeds. She was suddenly wary and nervous, but Zor calmed and assured her that all was right and that such a treasure must be shared with the universe and not hoarded by any one race. The lnvid one mind remained fearful, but deferred to Zor's wisdom and friendship. With sufficient seeds collected (half of which were aboard Zor's new superfortress), the Robotcch Masters made their move to insure their immortality and domination over the universe. (Ironically, it would seal their doom and create a new nightmare to ravage the cosmos.) They began the immediate and complete defoliation of the Invid homeworld. The Robotech Masters could not afford to let any other race, even these apparently harmless people, possess protoculture. Their first mistake was greed. Their second mistake was the defoliation of the planet, for the "Flower of Life" could grow nowhere else. A dilemma that the Masters would discover later. Their third mistake was rooted in their arrogance which blinded them to the awesome power of the lnvid. Zor and the Invid alike were horrified! Zor could not believe the Robotech Masters would do such a heinous act. His reclusive years as a scientist sheltered him from the cruelty of the Robotech Masters. Now his eyes were opened, but too late. His pleas for them to stop were ignored. His impassioned speeches about sharing the wondrous discoveries (at no charge) were received with laughter. At that moment, Zor's world crumbled. His naivety had condemned an innocent people. He was helpless to stop the defoliation of the lnvid world, but he was not entirely powerless. In a small way, he could help rectify the carnage he had inspired. Alone, aboard the prototype vessel. he furiously Set to work. Meanwhile the lnvid planet was wracked by a catastrophic change. The Robotech Masters' plan was especially monstrouS. Their super-powerful defoliants would destroy all plant life. The method so deadly that no vegetation would grow there for 10,000 years. Yet the lnvid people would be unharmed, just left to die of starvation. And so it would have been if the lnvid were the helpless innocents the Robolecb Masters believed them to be. Instead, another equally devastating change was taking place inside the many hives. The intelligence was transforming her people into a combat force to crush the hideous despoilers of a world. To the Robotech Masters' surprise, a lethal force of mechanized aliens suddenly appeared to savage their troops. The battle was fierce and terrible, but could not save the planet. Then the hand of fate entered the fray and tragedy struck again. During the ensuing battle. Zor was mortally wounded, but not before he could implement his last desperate plan to make right this terrible wrong. His flagship, the new prototype (SDF), suddenly burst to life and vanished as it made its jump into hyperspace (the space fold process). With it, a vast reserve of precious protoculture; unprocessed seeds placed in suspended animation, hidden somewhere in its deepest recesses. All of Zor's noteS, new theories, speculations, and plans for the prototype super fortress had been purged from all the other computers. Thus, most of Zor's knowledge of protoculture was forever destroyed. Whatever new secrets he had unearthed died with him. Still, the Robotech Masters knew enough to build their empire. They held the secret of organic fusion and the last known supply of protoculrure seeds. They also had the power of protoculture bio-engineering (although far less sophisticated than what was possible, as evident from the lnvid's power of transmutation). With that knowledge, they had already created the Zentraedi and would go forth to subjugate hundreds of worlds. Retreating from the lnvid planet. they thought they bad seen the last of the lnvid. They were very wrong. Perhaps the only reason the Robotech Masters were able to escape the clutches of the lnvid was because of the torrent of emotions that wracked the directing intelligence. The trauma of the Robolech Masters' betrayal and treachery was confusing, compounded by the horror of the destruction of the "Flowers of Life." Too many thoughts raced through the intelligence's brain. Then the final blow. The death of Zor! It was far too much for her to handle all at once. The intelligence sceamed and went numb. Without their leader to guide them, the newly created Invid warriors were no matcb for the Robotech Masters, who made a hasty getaway. The battle was lost, but the war was far from over. When the intelligence regained consciousness, she found that she had undergone a metamorphosis of her own. There was now a second intelligence, a male counterpart to herself and one almost as powerful. The male entity was the embodiment of vengeance full of hate, aggression and anger. Together they vowed that the Robotech Masters would be destroyed. The Flower of Life belonged to the lnvid alone: anyone who dared to use its essence (protoculrure) would be destroyed. So began a war that would stretch across the centuries. Millions of Invid and Zentraedi (the Masters' warrior race) would perish. Along with them, entire worlds of innocents who were coerced into using protoculture provided by the heartless Robotech Masters. The Invid scouts scoured the universe, searching for the essence of the Flower of Life. Whenever "its" presence was found, the twin intelligences, known as the Regis and Regent, were alerted. A terrible swarm of scouts. armored scouts, shock troopers, pincers and, later, the dreaded inorganics would swarm over the world, collecting the protoculrure and obliterating the population. Now Zor, appalled by the unforgivable actions of his people, finally saw the Masters as the maleficent force they had always been. Worse, he had given them the tool (protoculture) to fulfill their evil dreams. His only hope was to steal the precious seeds and give his knowledge to other people throughout the universe. Zor's first task was to erase all his new theories and discoveries from the Robotech Masters' main computers. That accomplishment meant that the secrets of protoculture where locked away in his head alone. Sadly, Zor was mortally wounded before he could escape. Still, there was hope. A planet in a distant galaxy. A planet he had seen in a protoculture induced visioo. A planet whose primitive people would grow to understand protoculture. A people who, although teetering themselves on the brink of self-destruction, had always opposed oppression. How he knew these things he did not truly understand, but time had limited his choices. In that instant, the fate or the Robotech Masters, the lnvid, and humanity was placed on the shoulders or the human race; Earth. Realizing that the humans of Earth needed time to advance in tecnology and grow as a people, Zor plotted a course that would lead the Robotecb Masters, and their Zentraedi pawns, on a wild chase across space and time. With his last dying breath, he 1aunched his mighty, new vessel on its fateful journey. The ship's journey carried it across to the cosmos, only pausing long enough to attract its pursuers and then disappear in a space fold long before it could be captured. As time went on, the capture of Zor's vessel became more and more imperative. The Robotech Masters' supply of protoculture was finite and becoming exhausted. Despite their super-science and best efforts, they could not get the Flower of Life to grow from seed. The best that could be achieved were a variety of mutant strains, all of which lacked the vital properties of protoculture. Without the supply of seeds aboard Zor's vessel, they were doomed! The lnvid, with their alchemy, would fare no better in growing the few seeds they had saved. Fortunately, the had stored a thousand lifetimes of the precious energy and remained comparatively strong. Nearly 400 years after the vessel had been launched, Zor's flagship crash landed on Eanh. Its arrival would unite the planet, yet nearly destroy it as well. Although some of the secretS of protocu1ture would be uncovered, making it possible to rebuild the vessel, now known as the SDF- 1, as well as, create the Veritech fighters and Destroids, the humans never learned of its secret cargo of seeds hidden, and in stasis, deep inside the ship. It would only be after the Robotech Masters' assault on Earth and their destruction above the wreck of the SDF-1, that unleashed the blossoming seeds, into our world. After a few centuries of war, the Regis grew tired of the constant battle. Instead, she suggested finding a new world on which protoculture would grow and they again could live in peace. However, the Regent was a being of passion who thrived on war. Bent on revenge, he would not accept anything but the destruction of the Robotech Masters. Already the Regent had enslaved several worlds. His goal, like the Robotech Masters', became one of intergalactic conquest and domination. So it was the Invid became divided; half ruled by the Regis, the other half ruled by the Regent. Over the decades, the rift between the two would cause a schism that will send them to two entirely different destinies. The Regis would pursue "enlightened evolution" and ultimately, follow Zor's trail (the SDF-1) to Earth and beyond. The Regent would finally find and ravage the Robotech Masters' homeworld. Then:, he would encounter the SDF-3, the indomitable Rick Hunter and the Sentinels. The Regent: The Regent is lost to hate and power. He has grown to enjoy this conflict more than anything else. Like the Robotech Masters, he craves to carve out an intergalactic empire. An empire composed of crushed and defeated worlds whose survivors must obey and worship the Invid (specifically the Regent). It is the Regent and his minions whom the SDF-3 and the REF first engage in mortal combat upon their arrival in Fantoma space in orbit of Tirol, the homeworld of the Robotech Masters. -More to come at a later date- The Regis: Surprisingly, the Flower of Life grows amazingly well on Earth (not that most humans know what it is, other than an alien form of plant life). In a few short years, the Flower of Life is everywhere, growing with the vitality of a weed. Did Zor know Earth could sustain the flower? Perhaps. But as Earth became a vast garden of prorotoculture flowers, it also signaled the coming of the lovid. The lnvid Regis sensed the existence of the flowers of Life from a distant galaxy, gathered her people and came to Earth. Her goal: to cultivate the flowers and claim the Earth as the Invid's new homeworld. The fact that Earth was already populated by an indigenous, intelligent life-form was of little consequence. The Regis bad grown indifferent toward other life. Her concern was only for her people. The destruction that followed was spawned from desperation and callousness. At last, she had found the only known world that could support the flower of life. A world she claimed for the lnvid. The Earth was again laid under siege. All major cities and populated areas were annihilated. The powerful E.B.S.I.S. obliterated before they knew what hit them. The sprawling anarchy of the Argentine Quadrant atomized. The millions of Scandinavians gone in an instant. Quebec Quadrant was the first to actually see the invaders. The flower of Life prospered in this region better than anywhere else, so the lnvid dared not risk its destruction with area affect weapons. Out of the sky they came like angry hornets. The last of the organized Armies of the Southern Cross and RDF hurried to Quebec's aid, bet to no avail. The pitifully tiny Earth forces had no chance against the millions of Invid. The battle for North America lasted an astonishing three days. The last vestiges of humanity were broken and scattered. Some communities were converted into slave farms to harvest protoculture. Other small towns, tribes and villages were allowed to exist, as long as their people did not use protoculture or dare resist the Invid's rules. It is important to understand that the Regess and her Invid are not nccessarily evil, just so completely alien that human beings are seen as savage and unpredictable ammals. The Regess herself is dangerously indifferent to other life forms. She does not direct her forces to destroy and enslave the people of Earth out of spite, hate or revenge. but out of callousness. Humans simply represent an obstacle to the achievement of her ultimate goals: To claim Earth as the lnvid's new homeworld. to cultivate and keep safe the lnvid Flower of Life, and to evolve her children into a superior life form. For the most part. the destruction of humans is carried out with the same cold, unthinking indifference a human might feel as he goes about the methodical extermination of a cockroach infested building. The bugs are not perceived to be the rightful inhabitants of the building, nor evil, but simply as disgusting and annoying pests that must be eliminated before the place can be fixed up and occupied. Likewise. the terrible experiments to which some humans arc subjected are performed with the same scientific indifference as experiments on a guinea pig or lab rat. The lnvid Regess and her children don't see what they do as horrible or cruel: after all, they are experimenting on human "animals." nothing more. It is this lack of human emotions, empathy and understanding that makes the Invid the heartless monsters they are. They are completely alien and have little compassion for the human condition. Even though both Invid and humans utilize Protoculturc in their technology, the applications and methods of their technologies are utterly different. The Regess can alter the genetic structure of an lnvid in a matter of minutes, seemingly create the hives out of thin air and erect the Genesis Pits, but human technology is alien to her. Her children, the Invid people, have very little autonomous thought and undertand even less. That is why a human can turn off his Protoculture powered mecha and abandon it in plain view without fear of it being destroyed or confiscated. If the Invid does not sense an active Protoculture engine or energy source, it ignores the item. The Invid Regess herself, might not be fooled by such a blatant ploy. but her troops see only a chunk of meaningless metal. If there is no sign of life, danger or Protoculture, then it is as unimportant as the rock laying next to it. This is also why the lnvid ignore crashed spaceships. and ancient abandoned military bases or buildings that contain human mecha, vehicles, ammunition and other supplies. First they don't recognize any of these inanimate objects as having any significance. To them, they are all worthless pieces of junk. Second a particular place, building or spacecraft has no perceived value or importance. If it moves, including automated machines, make it stop moving Non-movement means no life and no threat. If it has Protoculture, destroy it or capture it. No creatures other than lnvid are to possess Protoculture. The lnvid generally ignore most life forms too, attacking only when that life forn takes a threatening or hostile action, causes trouble. is too close to a hive, or the Regess commands its destruction. The knee-jerk reaction to a perceived threat is to destroy it and move on. The enemy is the enemy. Destroy without mercy. This is the Invid way. The lnvid Scouts, Troopers and other forces are all soldiers locked inside efficient killing machines. The typical lnvid Scout or Trooper is an extension of the lnvid Hive Brain and the will of the Regess. They function exactly like worker bees of an Earth beehive: They obey the queen, do as she commands them, and defend the hive and their queen. without thought for their own personal wellbeing. They fight to the death and serve the queen. Their sole purpose is to fight, guard, defend and die in the service of the Regess. There is no fear, no hate, no remorse. no sorrow or hesitation. only instinctive, mindless duty. This does not change until the Regess begins to evolve her elite forces into human-like beings. However, the human form comes with emotions that confuse the evolved lnvid . Unable to understand or control powerful emotions such as love and anger, the human-like lnvid "Princes" and "Princesses" often respond like children who are frightened and confused by their feelings, or venting emotions in extreme ways such as rage. This is the state of the Invid as of the End of the Robotech Saga and The SHadow Chronicles Copyright - Palladium Books